Innovative and electrifying, Toronto jazz drummer Ernesto Cervini has energy to burn, whether radiating it from behind his kit or working on any number of musical and educational projects.  With his sextet Turboprop Cervini flexes his arranging muscles, creating a vast landscape of musical textures, and moods on which these monster musicians can play.

The band features his regular quartet of Joel Frahm on Tenor Saxophone, Adrean Farrugia on Piano, Dan Loomis on Bass and Cervini on Drums, plus Tara Davidson on Alto Saxophone and William Carn on Trombone.

The band’s sound is reminiscent to the hard swinging Jazz Messenger bands of Art Blakey, although they tackle a wide range of music; from Charlie Parker to Claude Debussy to Radiohead, plus originals from all the band members.   They have already toured across Canada multiple times to rave reviews, and released their sophomore album, Rev, on ANZIC Records (NYC) in the fall of 2017.  Rev was nominated for a 2018 JUNO award for Jazz Album of the Year (Group).

Guided by Cervini’s driving, effervescent rhythms, the group’s eponymous debut album jaunts into the realms of chamber jazz, balladry, hard bop and free jazz.  Regardless of the stylistic focus, the results are always alluring and rendered alternately with polish and precision or daring excitement.

Mark Holston – Jazziz

Rev is the second album from Ernesto Cervini’s Turboprop, and it’s a shoot-the-lights-out blast of a listen… The group has an infectious, propulsive energy that delivers a powerpunch without forsaking nuance and melody… Here and throughout the entire program there’s a sense of closeness and shared spotlight, playing with, around and through, but never over, each other… Overall, Rev is a bright wave of an album and Turboprop is the real deal. Turboprop will be on the road in 2018 and I, for one, would love to see this band live.

Frank Alkyer – Editor of Downbeat Magazine

The band features his regular quartet of Joel Frahm on Tenor Saxophone, Adrean Farrugia on Piano, Dan Loomis on Bass and Cervini on Drums, plus Tara Davidson on Alto Saxophone and William Carn on Trombone.

The band’s sound is reminiscent to the hard swinging Jazz Messenger bands of Art Blakey, although they tackle a wide range of music; from Charlie Parker to Claude Debussy to Radiohead, plus originals from all the band members.   They have already toured across Canada multiple times to rave reviews, and released their sophomore album, Rev, on ANZIC Records (NYC) in the fall of 2017.  Rev was nominated for a 2018 JUNO award for Jazz Album of the Year (Group).